Twins

Twin Mistakes in Not Finessing


There are two common errors in declining to finesse, very common indeed, and which often lead declarer to kick away a very fine contract. They are, to wit: Declining a natural finesse because an opponent led the suit and declining a natural finesse because an honor isn't covered.

Now, always, always, always there are exceptions and sometimes valid reasons for doing such. Let me take the former first: if an opponent leads a suit in a trump contract while trump are still out and you can afford to lose that trick to a card you would otherwise finesse against, then of course you might well decline the finesse, draw trump and claim, conceding that trick. Nevertheless, I hope the reader doesn't glom onto that reason too enthusiastically, for I can only say that of the times declarers decline a finesse in a suit led by an opponent, in perhaps 19 times out of 20 the above reason for declining is nowhere to be found. They need the finesse, they'll be behind their confreres if it's on, a losing finesse will put them in good company, while declining if it's on will isolate them far more than would a losing finesse and quick ruff.
One of the more egregious cases I recall in recent play was a declarer declining a finesse for the K of trump, missing 4 or 5 (not sure now but at least 4) when the lead came on his right after opening leader hit his partner's ace in a side suit. It was a slam bid. Declarer needed to pick up the king, and one might even say, declarer needed to pick up that king very much if it's on, whereas he'd have a lot of company if it's off.
Since it was the trump king, there wasn't any danger of a quick ruff in that suit on a losing finesse, though I suppose one would have to concede a (slight) danger of a losing finesse and LHO finding his partner's (now) void. But that's a far-fetched probability compared with a simply on-sides king that RHO had no reason not to lead when he could see dummy held no honors. Indeed, while recognizing that I cannot read anyone's mind, this is one case where I suspect that the defender led trump just because he had the king. And he got the result he wanted.

Also bear in mind that when dummy comes down, the opponents will have a far better idea than declarer which finesses will work and which won't. To be sure, they may not be as clear about where finesses lie as declarer is, but they'll know pretty much which honors can be finessed against. A player to declarer's right, looking at 9 8 7 in dummy, knows he can lead from a king with impunity.
And one more thing: don't you suppose defenders will lead a suit from an honor just because they can see that a finesse will work -- partly because it's after all a safe lead, but maybe just as importantly because they hope to fake you out as declarer and induce you to think it wouldn't work.
As for the second reason, that's an even more aggravating reason for a declarer to decline, since these finesses are initiated by declarer on his own timetable and there are plenty of reasons for not covering an honor! See the discussion here. Indeed, those who chicken out on a natural finesse would seem to give defenders just one more reason not to cover (when uncertain).
To be sure, we can't always read a declarer's mind. I recall the time I led the Q of diamonds toward the A J low and when not covered, went up with the ace. I did so because that gave me my contract, and I couldn't afford to finesse into the king and have my RHO run hearts on me. So bear in mind that this wasn't a finesse I needed; it was indeed, one I needed to decline to ensure my contract and my decision was not based on a lack of cover on my left but on a desire for my 9th trick in a 3 no contract. But I thought I might take an outside chance, without cost, to induce a cover for an overtrick. For examples of these twin reasons for declining a finesse -- giving the opponents just a bit too much power on your decision -- click on the links below:

Because an Opponent Led the Suit

Because an Honor was not Covered

Other Shunned (Necessary) Finesses

One Two Three Four
Five Six Seven Eight
Nine Ten Eleven Twelve
Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen Sixteen
Seventeen Eighteen Nineteen Twenty